WNYT.com

Thousands rally at Capitol for 2nd amendment rights

ALBANY - A crowd estimated in the thousands showed up in front of the state Capitol, rallying in support of their second amendment rights.

They chanted and held signs, saying the new gun control measures signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and proposals from President Barack Obama are going too far.

As one protestor explained, “I have concerns about the intrusion of the government into our constitutional rights.”

Ken Blass, came to the rally out of concerns too. He invited us to his home, proud of the fact that he's a gun owner.

He explains, “Gun owners are your neighbors, are your doctors, are your lawyers, are your business people out there, as well as everybody else. We’re not a bunch of radicals out there to try to kill people.”

Blass says he understands something has to be done in light of what happened in Newtown, Connecticut. He says the idea is to keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them.

“I am not against for instance, the national background checks and having those applied to all gun sales.”

He says the gun debate should be fairer and result in the most efficient laws. But, he says the New York SAFE Act that recently became law was rushed, making it flawed.

“What was done incorrectly was the way it was pushed through not according to our normal process. 114739 there was not enough time for the legislature by their own admission to read the law.”

The rally, organized by Guns Across America, took place simultaneously in many capital cities across the nation, to show the strength of the opposition to more gun control.

But, a recent poll shows Cuomo still riding high with voters, with a 71 percent favorability rating.

Still, Blass says the new state law restricts legal gun owners. It could be better.

“Most gun owners are very safety oriented people using a gun for their sport.”